UNEXPECTED Repco Supercars Championship call-ups in Darwin for Todd Hazelwood and Mark Winterbottom have expedited looming milestones for the duo.
Hazelwood and Winterbottom both made their first solo Supercars starts since 2024, filling in for Brodie Kostecki and Thomas Randle respectively, a couple of weeks ago at Hidden Valley.
As a result, both are now scheduled to reach landmark feats at this year’s Bathurst 1000 that otherwise would have had to wait until next season.
The Sunday contest in Darwin took Hazelwood’s championship race starts tally to 198. He should therefore tick over to 199 when he teams up with Kostecki for The Bend 500 and then notch a hard-earned double-century at Mount Panorama.
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That would make Hazelwood, who debuted as a Matt Stone Racing wildcard at the 2017 Ipswich SuperSprint, the 51st driver into the 200 club.
As for Winterbottom, he is now level with the retired Garth Tander for second on the all-time starts list at 648.
‘Frosty’ will move into outright second in September at The Bend, where he’ll co-drive with Cam Waters, and then celebrate 650 on the stage that is the Great Race.
Winterbottom’s 2015 title rival Craig Lowndes remains first with 681 races and counting.
